Very often, we hear and read about “Hollywood-inspired” movies in Bollywood. This time, it’s the other way around!
A Hollywood film, Leap Year is said to be inspired by Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. This would be the first Bollywood box office hit to inspire a Hollywood film.
Leap Year, set in Ireland, is directed by Anand Tucker and stars Amy Adams, Matthew Good and Adam Scott. Like the Bollywood version, it follows a girl who travels to great lengths to meet her boyfriend. On the way, she meets another guy who she ends up falling in love with.
Apparently, Ali was unaware of the remake and says, “Jab We Met has an innate charm which everyone can relate to. Besides, the characters Geet and Aditya, played by Kareena and Shahid, are easily identifiable. It’s quite universal in its appeal.”
He seems to be happy that his film is serving as an inspiration to the West and has said in an interview that he would “love to watch Leap Year.”
He goes on to say that, “Jab We Met was remade into Tamil as Kandein Kadhalai by director R Kannan. Bharath and Tamannah starred in it. They had bought the remake rights from producers Ashta-Vinayak and it was a hit in the South.”
Ali has also received enquires about the adaption of his latest film, Love Aaj Kal. “I have received many enquiries from the West. But we are in no hurry to take up such offers. But let’s see how it goes,” he said.
Anand Tucker is a London-based filmmaker who was born to an Indian father and German mother in Thailand. His previous films include And When Did You Last See Your Father (2007) and Shopgirl (2005).
